How Not to Grow Up in 10 Easy Steps
by KH Rockin' Robins collabs
Summary: What if the Destiny Islands was part of Neverland, and the story of Kingdom Hearts began there, with all of our boys being Lost Boys? And what if one of them started to grow up?
1. Chapter 1

**Standard Disclaimer: **please see the profile page :)

**Note: **Everything posted on this account (this story included) will be written collaboratively by several different writers. For more information, please view our profile page. Thanks and enjoy!

**Summary: **What if the Destiny Islands was part of Neverland, and the story of Kingdom Hearts began there, with all of our boys being Lost Boys? And what if one of them started to grow up?

**Writer:** beckychan

**How Not to Grow Up in 10 Easy Steps**

Part 1

The sky was a brilliant blue that day. Of course, the sky was always a brilliant blue here. Blue sky, aqua sea, white sand. Nothing ever changed. And for some, that was enough. But not for Riku. He'd been feeling a strange urge, almost like someone calling him from somewhere beyond the farthest horizon. He spent many a day now nestled in the always green branches of trees that had no business being always green.

_There's got to be something more. I know it._

"Riiiiiiiiku!"

The silver-haired boy rolled his eyes. That would be Sora, wouldn't it? A year younger and always running after the older boy, who was stronger and faster and kept the other boys from picking on him too much. The occasional roughing up was fine. It was needed. Sora would be the omega wolf forever if Riku never let him get beat up.

Sora was the youngest, which was to say the newest Lost Boy. Riku had been the first to arrive after Peter, and so was thought of as second in command, and he'd also been the one to find the spiky-haired brunet floating amongst the seaweed that fateful morning. Riku had hauled his limp body to Hangman's Tree. He wasn't a grown up, so he wasn't a pirate. That made him a Lost Boy.

Riku had been the first thing Sora had seen when he opened his unexpectedly blue eyes, and it had been something like imprinting. He'd followed the older boy around like a puppy since that day.

That had been five years ago, give or take. Five years without aging after who knew how many years before it. Riku felt guilty. Peter strictly forbade the Lost Boys from marking time, but ever since Sora had shown up, Riku had started. Perhaps that's why he'd started to feel like something was missing, like his life wasn't the grand adventure their leader always made it out to be. Because he was aware of time passing.

_There's_ got _to be more!_

"There you are!" Sora bounded up, all smiles and spikes. "Peter's been waiting! He says that the Indians are on the move."

"Again?" Riku drawled. Indians didn't interest him today. He didn't feel like playing catch-me, catch-you with the red men, and possibly being tied to a stake if the Lost Boys didn't win.

Peter forbade them from ever admitting to losing. Not winning was something different entirely.

"Tiger Lily's gonna be the ju-udge," Sora urged in a sing-song voice.

"So?" Riku said, keeping his face impassive. Inside, though, his stomach was doing flip-flops. That was another thing that had started happening recently. Riku had started to notice that the females on the island – the mermaids, the fairies and Tiger Lily – were _girls._ The realization made him blush, which he hated, and he'd told Sora in confidence about it, which meant that the younger boy teased him about it at every available opportunity. "Shut up," he added for good measure.

Sora laughed, grinning at his best friend.

"Alright, I'm coming." Riku heaved a sigh and hopped out of the tree with the ease of someone not bound by gravity.

The younger boy took off, his oversized shoes making oversized prints in the sand. Riku couldn't help but smile at his over-energetic enthusiasm. "Just fly, knucklehead," he laughed as he himself took to the air instead of crashing through the underbrush.

It was a few moments before Sora joined him in the air.

"Right! I knew we were gonna fly back! I was just testing you!"

"In that case, race you to the tree!"

And the boys took off at break-neck speed, each trying to be the first to reach the goal.

High above the Neverland sky, just waiting for dark, so it could be all the more magnificent, a meteor shower hovered on the brink of falling. It waited until the sun had just finished sinking, so that the light of the falling stars would be reflected in the pink and golden sea. A perfect sunset to be followed by a perfectly phenomenal astrological event.

From their place in the Indian Village (the Lost Boys had not won the game that day, but at least it ended in a party), Riku and Sora watched the event.

"Fairies!" Sora exclaimed, leaping to his feet. "Millions of them! Peter, Peter, fairies are falling from the sky!" He pointed enthusiastically.

Peter looked up at once from where he had been drum dancing with the lovely Tiger Lily, who batted her eyes prettily every time he looked at her (and made Riku seethe, not that he would _ever_ mention this to his leader). "Tinkerbell?" the boy summoned. A golden ball of light that rang like the sound of a hundred bells flew next to Peter Pan and landed on his shoulder like a delicate ballerina (Tiger Lily scowled at the ball of light, which looked as smug as a ball of light can look in reply). "Tink, is it fairies?" he asked.

The pixie being addressed looked at the sky, then laughed so hard she nearly fell off his shoulder.

_No,_ she said, her bell-like voice ringing in Sora's ear. _You silly ass, they're stars._

Sora's eyes grew large. Riku knew that look. "I want to catch one!" Sora exclaimed, leaping to his feet. "Come on, Riku! Let's go catch a falling star!"

At least it was different. In a manner of speaking.

In Neverland, things are always the way children imagine they should be, and so the beach near Mermaid Lagoon was littered with thousands of glittery fragments of fallen stars, spread across the sand like diamond dust. And one girl.


	2. Chapter 2

**Writer:** israelproject

**How Not to Grow Up in 10 Easy Steps**

Part 2

The little room inside Hangman's Tree glowed with the light of bottled fireflies, caught by the eager Lost Boys as dusk fell, to be released again at dawn. The insects tapped lightly at the glass sides, buzzing and flickering. Sora, sitting cross-legged on the floor next to a little bed, turned to them with a frown, pressing a finger to his lips. "_Sshh_!" The _tink_ as they continued to hit the walls of the jars grew louder. With a soft growl, the brunet boy turned to the orb of soft light sitting on his shoulder. "_Fira_," he whispered pleadingly, _"make them stop! They're going to wake him up!"_

The light-talented fairy, Fira, kicked her feet against his shoulder, shaking her head. _"You know they don't like being jammed up!"_ she replied, her voice like a thousand silver bells ringing ever so softly.

"So why can't you _train_ them to like it?" Sora demanded. "You're the one that teaches them to glow – can't you make them _like_ the jars?"

"_Would _you_ like it if – "_

"Unh… bells?" The boy and the fairy fell silent, Sora quickly muffling her with his hand as the figure on the bed stirred, an arm flopping off the edge of the cot. The brunet flattened himself to the ground, Fira caged in his fingers, and though she didn't like the dark much, for once the pixie didn't complain. There was a deep breath, a sleepy sigh, a small groan. Cautiously, curiously, Sora raised his head, peeping over the thin mattress at the redhead they'd found among the star-fragments. Large, crystal-blue eyes turned to him, and for a moment, they stared at each other. Just as slowly as he'd lifted himself, he brought his hand up, fingers parted, for Fira to peer. The blue eyes squinted, a hand covering them, at the bright light the boy appeared to be cupping.

In a whisper, Sora asked, _"Are you awake?"_

The figure paused, a small giggle coming out, the blue eyes revealed again, a little sparkle within. In a replying whisper, the person said, _"Yes, I'm awake."_ A sudden ringing of bells, the boy's gaze ticking sideways to his hand, the blue eyes following with astonishment. "Bells! I _did_ hear them!"

Sora surged up suddenly, planting his elbows on the bed, a solemn expression in place. The pixie squirmed out from his palm, flitted across the bed in a heartbeat, sending the figure flopping back, going almost cross-eyed in an attempt to watch as the ball of light zoomed up close. "My name's Sora," the brunet announced, and before waiting for a reply, demanded, "So – are you a Lost Boy?" The person's eyebrows drew together, momentarily forgetting the curious glow, the blue eyes turning back to him.

"I'm not a boy!"

The brunet started sharply, mouth dropping open. "Not a _boy_?" The person giggled suddenly at his expression, hands covering face. Sora thought hard. "Are you – " He glanced down at the figure's legs. "Are you a mermaid that can walk?" he wondered, in confusion. "You don't really _look_ like a mermaid, though…" He reached out, took a section of burgundy hair and tugged. "Your hair's too short!" Fira's clear voice rang out. The boy made a face. "No way, not a pirate." He looked at the person dubiously. "You're _not_ a pirate, right?"

The figure considered. "I don't think so?"

"You don't _think_ so?" Sora exploded. He jumped to his feet, arms waving animatedly. "You _have_ to know if you're a _pirate_ or not! They – they're _big and ugly!_" He puffed his chest, hunched his shoulders with a terrible glower of demonstration, hands hooked like claws. "They – " He bounced across the room, around to the foot of the bed. "They _smell_ funny, and they _talk_ funny!" He leapt up onto the narrow bedpost, glittering with pixie dust, danced to the opposite one without a second thought, balancing as if he'd been born and raised standing on the small, round, wooden globe. His eyes widened, he leaned forward, concluded with a fearful sort of awe, "They're _old_!"

The person laughed outright, a strange noise to Sora's ears, almost unfamiliar in its timbre, but Fira suddenly started whipping around the room, jingling and jangling with excitement. Sora's head whipped up, eyebrows shooting high with surprise. "_What_ did you say?"

"She _said_ – " All three turned to see Riku standing in the doorway, leaning against it, arms crossed, with a curious smirk in place. "That your _Lost Boy_ is in fact a Clumsy – a human."

So startled was Sora, that he sprang into the air, hovered there, drifting up near the ceiling. The blue-eyed figure gasped, sat up quickly, crying, "Sora, you're _flying_!"

Both boys looked down, said in tandem, "Yeah, so what?" Sora then demanded, "You're a _Clumsy_?"

"A girl, too," Riku added. Sora bumped the roof sharply.

"Ow!" He rubbed his head, and the girl once again started giggling, knees drawn up, hands over her mouth.

"Of course I'm a girl, silly _bum_! Didn't you realise?"

The silver-haired boy pushed from the doorframe, sauntering over. "I'm Riku, second-in-command around here. Sora's never seen a real girl before," he said. "Except for Tiger-Lily, and, well, she has longer hair."

The girl put a hand to her short hair, an amused grin in place. "I need to have long hair to be a girl?"

Sora drifted down, swooping to land in a crouch on the bed, close enough to peer into her face. "I've only _ever_ seen girls with long hair," he declared. He studied her with interest. "How did you get here? What's your _name_?"

She put up with his scrutiny good-naturedly, replying, "Well – my _name_ is Kairi, but I don't really know where 'here' _is_, so I couldn't really tell you if I tried!" She frowned a little, glanced at Riku. "I'm not clumsy, though."

The silver-haired boy laughed richly, catching Fira out of the air as she went darting by. He leaned over the bed, shook the little fairy by the wings, scattering a shower of gold dust over the self-proclaimed girl. Kairi blinked in wonder, then sneezed violently. "Not anymore you're not," Riku agreed with a broad grin. "Not now that you can fly!"

The girl sneezed again. "I – _achoo_! – I can fly?"

"Well – with practice," the boy replied smoothly. "I'm sure I could be of service there." His eyes shone suddenly, almost seeming to devour the girl as they darted down her feet, back up to her face, from eye to eye. "Maybe then, you can show us the way to the stars – we can take you home to them."

Kairi glanced at them both, glittering with a layer of gold. "The stars?" She raised an eyebrow. "I don't know the way to the _stars_."

Fira fought free from Riku's grasp, buzzed the room, scolding him for not giving her any warning before using her dust, before swooping away through the open door. Kairi's gaze followed the little ball of light. "What _was_ that?"

Sora bounced lightly on the bed, grasping his shoes happily. "That was Fira! She's a fairy from Pixie Hollow!" As Kairi's eyes widened, he exclaimed, "_Don't_ tell me you've never seen a _fairy_!"

Riku clipped the back of his head with one hand. "Dork – of course she hasn't, she's from the human world. From the _stars_. Had _you_ ever seen a fairy before coming to Neverland?"

"I don't remember before Neverland," the boy protested. "So I don't know!"

"Well, there you go, then," the silver-haired friend replied, with a nod, as if this wrapped up his argument. He turned to the door, sighing. "I'll bet Fira's gone to tell Tink about Kairi." He shrugged, twisted back to the girl reluctantly, who was watching them both with keen interest. "Peter will want to meet you, I guess. Are you okay to get up?"

"I – I think so," Kairi said, not sure why she was in bed in the first place. She carefully shifted to the side of the bed, lowered her feet to the ground and stood. She took a moment to smooth her dress, before turning to the two boys.

"_I_ found you," Sora eagerly informed her. "You were on the beach with all the pieces of stars – we thought you might want to rest, if you'd fallen aaaaall that way! We were worried you might have hurt yourself." His face fell abruptly. "_Are_ you hurt, Kairi?"

She checked herself over. "Hmm – I seem to be okay! I don't hurt at all!"

"Good," Riku said, with a breath of relief. He smiled. "That's good to know." He straightened, lifting his chin with a proud jut, giving her his most charming face. "Well, you might as well come along and meet Peter, now."

"He's our leader," Sora chirped, somersaulting from the bed, landing light as a feather. Kairi laughed.

"Is he?"

"And, like I said," Riku interjected, "I'm second-in-command. I can show you around once the meeting's over."

"Me, too!" Sora yelled happily, zooming through the door. "I'll show you the Lagoon, and the Pixie Hollow – you can meet the fairy queen! – and I'll show you the Indian Village, and I'll show you the…" The boy's voice drifted away, excitedly jabbering. Riku wasn't entirely pleased at the thought of the brunet tagging along, but Kairi seemed cheerful enough, so he didn't try to tell Sora to shut up just yet – he was still trying to make a good impression, after all. He _had_ to be friends with Kairi, had to make her like him, if she was ever going to take him back to the stars with her.

He smirked to himself, suddenly satisfied with life, and ushered the pretty young girl from the room.


	3. Chapter 3

Standard Disclaimer: please see the profile page :)

**Standard Disclaimer: **please see the profile page :)

**Note: **Everything posted on this account (this story included) will be written collaboratively by several different writers. For more information, please view our profile page. Thanks and enjoy!

**Summary: **What if the Destiny Islands was part of Neverland, and the story of Kingdom Hearts began there, with all of our boys being Lost Boys? And what if one of them started to grow up?

**Writer:** lazzchan

**How Not to Grow Up in 10 Easy Steps**

Part 3

Peter stood, hands on his hips as he looked Kairi over. The rest of the Lost Boys were in the large room, watching her as well. Sora stood by Riku, but gave her an encouraging smile and a thumbs up and she tried to relax more. Peter was just so…intimidating. It was up to Peter if she stayed or not, as scared as she had been in the beginning, she didn't want to leave yet, either.

He circled around her, making thoughtful sounds and every time he made a movement, the Lost Boys did as well, faithfully copying their Leader. They were _all_ boys except her and the fairies and Kairi wondered if she wanted to really be classified as a boy. "Well, since she's not a pirate (they hadn't really heard of any girl pirates, either) and not an Indian," Peter declared, "she's one of us. The first Lost Girl." He nodded. "I think she'll fit in well, right boys?"

Nods and cheers all around met this statement and Sora grinned even wider at Peter's acceptance of Kairi. He'd be able to take her all around now and teach her about the dangers (pirates) and the fun places and all the good things and she'd participate in all their adventures and have a fabulous time. They'd track Indians and she might even be able to get a fairy from Pixie Hollow. Not every one could have a fairy, but Kairi seemed the type of girl that could have one. She was pretty like one.

Riku seemed to sense his friend's enthusiasm and put a calming hand on his shoulder. "Take it slow, Sora. She's just gotten here and she won't run away anytime soon." His eyes gleamed slightly. When Kairi left—_if_ she left, she was one of them now and none of the Lost Boys ever left Neverland—she'd show him the way to the stars and he could explore the lands and the adventures beyond Neverland.

Sora frowned a little at the rebuke—Riku was getting even bossier than usual these days—but he was right. He didn't want to show everything off on the first day. He just hoped that Riku didn't want to keep Kairi all to himself, they could and would all be her friend and Sora was the one that found her first…

Riku had such a funny look on his face when he saw Kairi and Sora wanted to tease him for it—wanted to see if he'd blush and get that funny feeling like he said he had gotten when he thought of Tiger Lily and the mermaids and fairies.

Kairi, though, just shook her head and smiled at the two of them. Pushing her hair back behind her ears, she shrugged. "I don't mind…" she said slowly.

Peter caught their attention again with an announcement. "Well, to introduce our newest member, we're going to show her the greatest danger!" he lowered his voice, eyes serious, even if he was grinning like a maniac. "We're going to see the _pirates_." He looked over at Kairi. "You know that they're our enemy, right?" he asked.

Kairi glanced and Sora and stifled a giggle, remembering how silly he had looked when describing the pirates to her. "Sora told me," she nodded, "and even described them so I would know."

"Good job, Sora," Peter praised and Sora beamed at both Kairi and Peter for getting the praise from his leader. Peter rubbed his hands together. "Alright, men--," he paused, "and women," he included Kairi, "let's prepare for the pirates!"

Cheers and war-whoops met the statement, boys scrambling over each other to get slingshots and marbles, wooden swords and other weapons of their own make. She didn't have any, but Sora generously handed over a wooden sword. "I have an extra one, and you need a weapon in case we get captured by the pirates." Kairi nodded, not liking the idea of being captured, but no one else seemed worried about it—it was like a giant game.

She didn't fly as easily as the others, though and fell behind the cheering boys. When Sora and Riku realized how far behind she fell, they each took a hand and helped her catch up. She smiled brightly. It wouldn't be so scary or weird here, she had friends already that were helping her. She relaxed and added her own cheers to the boys. This could be a great deal of fun.


	4. Chapter 4

**Writer: lostscore**

The night air was still and tepid around the shores of the lagoon. Docking a safe distance from the damaging reefs, the Pirate ships anchored themselves just shy of the mermaids' home. The boys themselves landed there and crouched amongst the large, smooth granite stones that framed the area with glittering pink and gold. They cast distorted shadows in the moonlight that merged with those of the trees on the clear water and provided perfect cover for anything that skulked just out of sight. The clear voices of mermaids could be heard beyond the natural curtains of some weeping willows that had long grown out of control and framed the beautiful alcove. Riku felt himself straining inexplicably toward the feminine voices but managed to pull himself back to the present in the end. Particularly given the present circumstances.

"This is…" Sora began to explain but it was Riku who took their Lost Girl's hand and lead her up the rocks for a closer, more daring look. "That's Captain Hook's ship. He's the cruelest pirate of them all."

Before Sora could protest the appropriation of his role as 'tour guide', Kairi herself had scrambled up the rocks and slid down to the opposing bank more nimbly than any other in the group, save perhaps Peter himself. "That's so neat!"

If some of the boys had worried about her presence in their midst, the fear dissipated with this daring action. Almost immediately, the rest of the crew had scrambled over the rocks to join her.

"Aintchya scared that the Pirates'll see ya?" Toodles spoke up, creeping close to the rocks as a lantern flashed a beam across the water from the ship. His voice was laced with an undeniable sense of awe that he tried to cover with a choking cough.

"Nope!" Kairi moved closer. If awe had affected her, she didn't show it any more than fear itself.

The boys looked around and followed. Riku in particular was close at her elbow with Sora just a hairsbreadth behind.

"Maybe we should sneak aboard." Said Riku.

"Oooooh. Yes!" Kairi nodded.

"And plant an alarm clock in his bed!" Sora almost crowed, but checked his voice at the last moment. "Captain Hook will be so scared! It's the perfect prank!"

"That's so neat!" the boys crowded around the brunette and Peter clapped him on the back. Kairi hurried over too and Riku wished he'd thought of the idea first.

"So how'll we go about this."

"We can fly of course!" Peter rose into the air, followed by the veteran boys. Kairi watched in consternation, floating a few feet off the ground. Patiently the others waited until she'd gotten the hang of things a little better, even though she still wobbled. It eventually became second nature, but even that took time. Particularly this discomfort affected girls if Wendy had been indicative of the norm rather than the exception. Since Peter rarely otherwise mentioned her, that would never be known.

Eventually, the gang of lost children floated into the clouds, undetected thus far by the pirate ship. Peter swooped down first, tearing the Jolly Roger off the mast post and snickering to himself as he tucked it like a cozy blanket around the young pirate who had fallen asleep at the crow's nest. Silly boys who wanted to grow up. In Neverland, you just became a pirate with that mentality.

"All clear!"

At their leader's stage-whispered command, the boys swooped down to land just ouside the skippers' quarters. A few daring ones like Cubby, Toodles, Sora and of course, Riku circled close to the man who'd fallen asleep at the watch on the descent. He didn't stir or snore.

"Shh." Peter was the one to plant the watch. After all, Captain Hook was his mortal enemy.

"Ooooooh, Captain! I got them!"

All the boys wheeled around as one to face a chubby, elderly man with a snow white beard and square spectacles. He was holding a double-barreled pistol. The boys obediently raised their hands. Even Peter knew when he was beat – the fact was already compounded by the presence of Captain Hook himself, who exited the cabin a moment later.

"Good work, Mr. Smee."

"Why thank you sir, captain sir.'

"Hmm…how interesting. Why…there's…a girl in your midst!"

Sora struggled, but Riku managed to break free and pull his sword. Instead of being intimidated, Captain Hook smiled at the young boy.

"A sword? Why look. It's made of metal." He ran a finger along the edge gently and held up a thumb stained with a white and red scrape mark. "Some one is growing up."

"Am NOT!" hissed Riku, "I never want to grow up."

"Really?' Captain Hook held the sharpest tip of his replacement limb to Riku's throat. "A metal sword…no fairy…you seem more Pirate than…Boy."

"I…"

"Mr. Smee, release the new Pirate."

Riku protested. "No. No I'm not!" He blinked at Kairi, hoping she would understand. "I don't want to grow up! I can't!" His cries were not those of an adult, but Captian Hook knew far better than to admit it.

"Give him a broom! Make 'im swab the bleedin' deck!"

Riku was hauled away by a swarm of men with strong arms, foul breath and missing teeth. His fingers scrabbled at the frame of the cabin as he was thrust outside.

"Peter…Sora…is Riku going to be okay?"

"Of course! He'll sword fight 'em to the death!" Sora was optimistic for his friend, but Peter was less enthusiastic in his agreement. He'd seen this before. A pretty girl was the doom of any lost boy if you gave in to her.


	5. Chapter 5

**Writer: beckychan**

The sun was pleasantly warm against Riku's back, and he grumbled as he put mop to deck. Why had he agreed to this? He thought... he thought he'd said no, he thought Peter would have stayed to help him. He thought _Sora_ at least wouldn't have abandoned him...

But Pan had given orders and they'd... flown off. All of them. Even Kairi.

Kairi. He could picture her eyes and her smile and her hair...

"Quitcher daydreamin'," a pirate tattooed all over said gruffly, and Riku got back to work swabbing. His sword had been taken from him, which he found odd. If he was to be a pirate, he needed a weapon, right?

Wrong. He was a pirate-in-_training_, and so his loyalty had to be tested first. Which probably had a lot to do with the shackle that kept him chained to the deck, as well.

He heard the casual stride of the captain approaching him. "Riku, Riku," the man said, rolling his r's slightly in an aristocratic way. The boy glared at him in response, his silver hair shining like the sun off a breaker on the sea. "Now, now, is that any way to look at your captain?"

"Not _my_ captain," the boy - yes! Boy! And don't you forget it, you pirate! - sneered.

"No need to be that way, me boy," Hook sniffed. "I've got a proposition for ye."

"Not interested!"

"Hear me out, hear me out." He draped an arm across the boy's shoulders in comradery. "You tell me where Pan is hiding out, and I tell ye how to win the heart of Miss Kairi."

Riku started. How had he learned her name? Then again, it had been hours, and Neverland was a painfully small island.

"After all," Hook went on, "if left to her own devices, Miss Kairi will fall in love with Peter, just as all girls inevitably do. Just like the mermaids and Tiger Lily and, of course, Miss Bell. Does Peter Pan really need another maiden sighing after him? Especially since he's bound to just cast her aside, like all the others. Whatever happened to that Wendy girl? One minute, she's the light of his life and the next, she's not even mentioned anymore."

It was tempting. There was a ring of... rightness to it. Peter always got the girls. Always. And he didn't even really _want_ them. It was all just another game to him. If he left Kairi with Peter long enough, she'd forget all about him, Riku, and fall for Peter instead! And then Pan would play games with her heart, and not care how it hurt her!

Captain Hook saw the expression on Riku's face, the inner turmoil, the anger boiling to the surface, and smiled a slow, sly smile.

"Do we have a deal, then?"

"He's not a pirate!"

Sora's rage was almost palpable. Why was Peter just sitting there, doing nothing? Why were his pipes to his lips? Why was the tune he was playing merry instead of sad?

"He's not a _pirate!_" the brunet insisted again.

"I think Sora's right," Kairi tried to get Peter's attention. "What do you boys think?"

The other Lost Boys hemmed and hawed a bit, staring at the ceiling and floor and not giving a straight answer, which made both Sora and Kairi frown.

"We believe whatever Peter says," one twin said at last.

"--believe whatever Peter says," the second twin echoed, an off-beat from his brother.

"Come _on,_ Peter!" Kairi begged the green-clad boy.

Peter turned a frown on her. "Riku knows the rules," he said harshly. "No growing up allowed."

"But he _hasn't_ grown up!" Sora insisted.

"Yes, he has! Riku cares more about Kairi than about any of us! That means he's growing up!"

Kairi blushed. What was Peter talking about?

"Nuh-uh!" Sora had started to cry, fat tears sliding down his cheeks. "He's my best friend! He cares most about me!"

"This is about me?" Kairi asked, and despite the fact that her voice was soft, it broke through the sounds of the argument heating up.

Sora bounded over to her and took her hands in his. "No, of course not!" he said, forgetting his own tears in his distress for her.

"Yes," Peter replied at the same time, still frowning. "So he deserves what's coming to him. It's not your fault, Kairi. He's been growing up for a while now. He's taller than he used to be."

The Lost Boys gasped as one. Clearly, this was a serious crime, getting taller.

"Then we have to make him remember!" Sora wheedled. "Come on, Peter! Help me help him remember how to be a boy!"

The leader of the Lost Boys, the soul of Neverland considered, pacing the room. Every now and then he'd pause to play a three note tune on his pipes. Finally he spun on his heel, making a full three rotations before stopping to face the assembled boys (and one girl) with a huge grin. "Alright!" he said, and they cheered. "But on one condition!" he continued, getting serious again, and they were instantly silenced. "If we take him back and he starts to grow up again, Riku will be banished from Neverland forever!"


	6. Chapter 6

Writer: lazzchan

**Writer: lazzchan**

It had come up a few times, the business of growing up—but no one really spoke about it. It just wasn't normal and no one liked to think about it. There were rumors that some of the pirates had once been boys, but—if they had been, they didn't remember and they were adults forever. Sora was determined to get Riku back from the pirates, to make sure that he didn't grow up. He wasn't sure how long forever was, but it sounded like an awfully long time.

"So, what's the plan?" Sora asked, standing before their leader. He was going to prove to Pan and to Riku that he could be strong enough to rescue Riku. This wasn't just the simple 'raid the pirates' sort of game, or sneaking up on the Indians. This was _serious_.

Pan shrugged, flopping back in his chair. "Sneak up on them and steal him, probably," his voice was casual and he fingered his pipes in one hand. "Not too difficult, unless they got him locked up or something. It'd explain why he hasn't escaped yet." Pan's expression clearly questioned _why_ Riku hadn't escaped yet. "We'll wait until the night and then catch 'em all while they're sleeping."

Sora nodded and all the Lost Boys did as well, as faithful as puppies. Even Kairi gave a slow nod at the idea—it was a good one and soon they'd have Riku back and all the silly things about her being the cause of the boy growing up would all be put behind them. It had to be….

She tugged Sora down next to her; out of the air as the rest of the Lost Boys circled Peter and listened to him describe what they would do. She liked Riku, even for the short amount of time that she had known him and it was obvious that he and Sora were best friends—so she wanted to get him back.

"Well, men—we have our plans for tonight, so let's head out and forage today—gotta get food and all," he declared. He gave Kairi a pointed look. "This is your first time and so you'll stick close to…" he glanced around and pointed, "Sora and he'll show you what to do." He looked doubtful for a moment. Kairi was obviously a girl, but she was a _Lost_ girl and that changed things. "D'you know how to cook?"

Kairi blinked at the question. "I… maybe?" she asked, biting at her lip. "I watched … I watched…." She couldn't remember who she had watched, but that person had cooked. It hurt to remember. "I can't remember," she finally said, wondering if Peter would be angry with her.

Peter didn't seem to see anything wrong with her not remembering, though—it happened to all the Lost Boys. They fell or appeared through the jungle or from washed in from the sea and it seemed however it happened, their memories couldn't seem to keep up with them and they were lost along the way.

"Well, don't worry about it," Peter waved if off. "Just stick close and watch what we do. We'll have to have a lot of food to celebrate our victory tonight." There was no doubt, of course, that they would be triumphant.

It wasn't quite the same game as they had played before, but to the boys, it was still a game, wasn't it? And it was their turn to win.

Nobody expected a new player to the game.

The borders of Neverland always let a child slip in and sometimes the unmentionable adult, but no one had ever really _snuck in_ before. But this time—there was something new on the horizon—a dark ship on the water. It wasn't Captain Hook's ship and the denizens of the water shivered at the newcomer.

It rowed quietly and it was searching—those that were gathered on the ship had sharp eyes and cold expressions. They were adults but there was something wrong about them. Neverland wasn't supposed to change without the thoughts and wishes of children to guide it. There was nothing childlike about these newcomers. This felt very wrong and they of the water fled to warn those that they could.

Kairi stayed close to Sora as she had been instructed and he was cheerful again—confident that Peter and the Lost Boys would fight the pirates and bring Riku back. The group was paired off in twos, to get the most food and the most treats—Sora was leading Kairi towards the water, near the cove to ask the mermaids for treats.

Since he had come from the sea, he understood them the best next to Peter. Fira hovered nearby him and then alighted on Kairi to make a more smooth ride, as Sora was bouncing in step. He loved talking to the mermaids—they always had such interesting things to tell him.

"Sora…" Kairi whispered, "is it okay that I didn't remember? Peter didn't seem angry, but…"

Sora shook his head quickly. "No, no--you don't _want_ to remember," he said authoritatively. "Remembering is almost as bad as growing taller. You don't want to remember what happened before, it's…it's usually kinda bad and all." His face twisted in thought. "All I know is that Riku found me in the ocean and we found you among the stars."

Kairi nodded and clasped the slingshot Sora had given her tighter in her hands. She couldn't remember, but she also wasn't sure she wanted to stay here forever. Sora seemed unconcerned and she wondered how long he had been here, but she didn't ask. She already knew that the Lost Boys concept of time was…different.

They were close to the cove now and Sora leaned down to try and call the mermaids out to him, when one reached up and nearly yanked him in. Kairi shrieked and grabbed hold and the mermaids glared at her, whispering something and Sora waved Kairi off to better hear them.

His expression was unusually serious when they passed their message—and even though Kairi couldn't tell what they were saying, they were clearly terrified. Sora finally dislodged himself from their hold and came up without treats and took a hold of Kairi's free hand.

"The rescue mission is off for right now—" he said slowly, eyes narrowed faintly. "There's a new enemy and he sounds really bad. The mermaids are terrified."

Kairi didn't understand all of it, but she let Sora lead her back to Peter. She felt a slight thrill that they were the ones imparting this important message to their leader (because Peter was _her_ leader, too—

--and she hoped that Riku would understand that they couldn't rescue him right away.


	7. Chapter 7

**Writer: israelproject**

Firelight flickered and burned aboard the pirate ship of Neverland's infamous Captain Hook, the wicks of the many kerosene lamps that hung and swayed from various hooks across the main deck brightly lit. The glow reflected off of glass surfaces, glinting against metal, as the ship gently bobbed upon the perpetually gentle ocean. Hook's crew went about their duties with a sense of laziness, though their eyes shone sharply, sly glances being exchanged, cast out casually upon the waters, as if inspecting the wind. To watch them from a safe distance, it would be easy to assume that they were sleepily unprepared for anything more than just another night anchored off of Neverland's twinkling shores, the night sky above them an ignored map to the lands above and beyond.

Deeper down, in the Captain's quarters, a sumptuous meal had been laid out upon the grand table, Hook sitting at one end, Riku at the other, with Smee standing in the corner, bulbous nose swung into the air, a dishcloth draped over one arm as he played waiter. Hook, using his namesake as easily as any hand, tore into a turkey drumstick, his pleasure evident in the meal, in the wine, in the company. His eyes echoed the same glint as those outside. Elegantly, noticing that his guest was not touching his own meal, the man gestured to his lackey. "Smee, methinks young master Riku needs a top-up of his drink."

The short first-mate sniffed disapprovingly, but scuttled over as bidden, snatching up a wine-jug as he went. Squinting one eye at the boy sitting stonily at the other end, he went to pour, stopped short. "But Cap'n – he hasn't even tasted his first cup, yet!"

Hook dabbed daintily at his mouth with the corner of the table-cloth. "Why, Riku, are ye not hungry, m'lad? Do you not thirst?"

"I already told you," the silver-haired boy replied sharply, "I don't like wine, and I don't feel like eating." The black-haired, black-hearted knave leaned on one elbow, fixing the boy with a patronising smile.

"It isn't poisoned, I give you my word, if that's your fear." He fluttered his hand, sitting back. "Not a bite, not a sip! Why, if you put it all into Smee, forced every morsel down his throat, he'd only be sick from stomach ache." He smiled thinly. "And as for not liking the wine – well… I suppose I can understand. Children aren't supposed to drink, are they? Young ones such as yourself, so small and fragile…"

"Hey, I'm taller than most of the others," Riku argued, flaring. "And I'll get taller still!"

"Will you now?"

Recognising his mistake, Riku subsided, albeit fumingly. He crossed his arms, glaring down to the side. "What are we even waiting for, anyway? I thought you'd be rushing off to find Peter Pan. I told you where he is, didn't I? And you…" Intense, fiery aqua eyes drifted up to meet glittering black. "You want him, right? So what're you sitting around here for?"

"It's true," Hook mused, holding the wickedly sharp metal of his missing hand in front of his eyes, inspecting it carefully. "I was all set to charge off with me crew and slay the dragon that is that brat of a boy… but then…"

"Then the crocodile ruined all our plans!" Smee interrupted in his nasal, congested voice, eyes widening on behalf of his captain's horror. He waddled around the table, placing the jug near the captain's elbow. "There we was, all ready to get gathered, and that darn devilish thing came along going _tick... tock… tick… tock…"_

"_Enough!" _The hook was slammed into the table, piercing the cloth, sending a bowl of boiled, wilted cabbage spinning off onto the floor. While the first mate yelped and hurried to clean up the mess, Hook composed himself. Riku sneered slightly.

"So, you had the opportunity to go take care of your worst enemy, and some clock-swallowing reptile sent you scuttling back below-deck."

The hook smashed into the wood a second time, Hook's gaze dangerous, wild, as he hauled himself onto the table, crashed along its length to where the boy sat, knocking off everything in his path. He snarled, "You'd best watch your _tongue, _boy, else you'll find it cut off whilst you're sleeping!" He brandished the deadly point of his prosthetic attachment under the silver-haired boy's nose. Riku, falling still, let the mocking expression harden into dullness once again. "Fine," he said flatly. "It just surprises me you weren't willing to risk it. Pan could be locked up in the brig by now, but instead we're all just hanging about. What, the croc hasn't gone yet?"

Muttering and cursing, Hook slid noisily from the table, straightening his clothing, slapping Smee away as the man tried to help. "For your information, whelp, I changed my mind," he growled, brushing the stray splatters from his jacket. "I've had enough of Peter Pan getting the better of me. If it's not by catching us on land and making fools of us from knowing the territory better than we ship-men, it's because he sneaks up when we're least expecting it on the boat." He turned grandly, stalked back down to his end of the table, ignoring the crunch and squelch of the mess under his shoes. "I've decided that enough is enough." He snatched up his cup, undisturbed by the ruckus, downed the purple-red wine in a single swallow, gestured for more from the flustered Smee, who was trying feebly to scrape the mess of the meal from the floor.

Reluctantly, Riku was interested. After all, he'd been part of countless raids the likes of which Hook was describing, and found his observation to be sound. Out on land, Pan's boys were in their element, knowing every bolt-hole, every knot of the woods, every inch of the battle-ground, and made merry in driving Hook's crew half-mad with their taunting attacks. Out here on the water, their movements were often unpredictable, no two attacks precisely the same, their flying abilities putting them far above the pirates in terms of agility and speed, turning potential danger at the sharp weapons into child's-play. So, had Hook finally learned his lesson? What exactly was he proposing?

"What did you have in mind?" the boy curiously asked. Smugly, the captain swirled his wine as Smee poured it, took a sip.

"Peter Pan is nothing if not a gallant fool. He'll be back, determined to play the hero and snatch you back to the bosom of the Lost Boys." As a slightly unsettled expression shadowed Riku's features, he added lightly, "And I imagine he's _dying _to show that Kairi girl what he's capable of." He sniffed, pretending to not notice the sudden darkness in the boy's face. "I'm sure she'll swoon like the good little girl she is. No doubt declare her undying love on the spot…" He sipped his drink, the gleaming goblet masking the sly grin that split his lips. Riku was looking positively murderous in that moment, whatever misgivings that had slowly been forming in the hours since he'd divulged the location of Hangman's Hollow to the crook dissipating like mist to the sun.

"So you're ready for him?" the boy demanded, fingers clutching at the arms of the chair, knuckles reddening. "What's to say this won't just end up like all those other times?"

Hook assumed a thoughtful face, placing his cup down, tucking his fingers into the sash belted at his waist. He paced slowly, steps graceful as he wearily sighed, "I admit, in the past, I've played my cards wrongly… Allowed mistakes that wouldn't have happened, if only I'd not underestimated my enemy…" His voice turned cold. "But those times are past now. Now, I have something that I've never used before, something I never expected…" His gaze found Riku, serpentine, a slow smile spreading with vicious triumph over thin lips, and for a swift moment, the boy had to fight the urge to recoil. "Live… willing… _bait." _

Smee sniggered on the sidelines, as Hook approached Riku again, bent down to his level, meeting the narrowed aqua eyes with a savage satisfaction. "Oh, yes, young Riku – Peter Pan will be here. They're already on their way. And my men are waiting."

--

And so, once the meal was done with, Riku was dragged out on deck. Through his angry protests, Hook smoothly interjected, "Just in case any scouts are watching, Riku – we want this to look like you're actually _resisting, _don't we?"

Livid, Riku submitted, was locked in chains a moment later, thick manacles around his wrists and ankles, an especially large one clamping uncomfortably around his neck, making every breath and swallow difficult. But, though his looks became dagger-sharp, Riku didn't complain. He sat on the cold deck, all but wrapped in chains, swallowed by them, with the crew making its rounds around him.

He waited. They waited. He stared stonily ahead while everyone else, with increasing impatience, searched the skies, the water.

At last, towards dawn, with the sun's glow entering the horizon, Hook came striding out on deck. He roared, "It's been hours! Where the blazes have those godforsaken brats got to?!" Whipping out his sword, he stomped over to Riku, levelled its biting tip at the pinched skin of the boy's throat, demanded, "You! Why aren't they here? What did you do, send a secret message? _Answer me!"_

"I didn't do anything," Riku snapped hoarsely. "I've just been sitting here, ask any of your stupid crew and they'll tell you. I can barely even _move." _He turned his gaze to the distance, a sliver of concern entering his expression. "I don't know why they're not here; they should have been. Like you said, Peter… he should have come for me. And if not Peter – _Sora, _at least…" He trailed off for a moment, before murmuring, as the early-morning breeze swept gently through his silver locks, "Why didn't Sora come?"

He hadn't expected much from the majority of the Lost Boys – they were Peter's men, through and through – but Sora was _Riku's. _They were best friends… it had been Sora, along with Kairi, that he'd sworn Hook to give his word to not harm during the raid. They would have been immune to attack… if only they'd been there. If only they'd bothered to come.

Riku blinked in confusion, Hook standing over him observing the boy's distress shrewdly. "I suppose they've given you up already," he said softly, his words cruel on the boy's heart. "Perhaps they never cared at all." His voice was sinuous. "Perhaps… they're happier this way, without you." He gazed down at the slowly hardening face of the youngster. Inhaling the fresh air swiftly, he lifted his head, commanded of a passing crewmember, "Get the boy inside. He's of no use to us bound up like that. And prepare the men; if Pan and his lackeys haven't made an appearance by nightfall, we attack Hangman's Hollow."

Riku was unchained, and went quietly, making no move to escape, even when, for a full minute, there was no one holding onto him.


End file.
